Obama Backs Deal Based on 1967 Lines — WASHINGTON — Seeking to harness the seismic political change still unfolding in the Arab world, President Obama for the first time on Thursday publicly called for a settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that would create a non-militarized Palestinian state …

Obama: ‘The Status Quo is Not Sustainable’ — Following is President Obama's Middle East speech, as prepared for delivery: — I want to thank Hillary Clinton, who has traveled so much these last six months that she is approaching a new landmark - one million frequent flyer miles.

Senate GOP filibusters Goodwin Liu — Senate Republicans staged the first successful filibuster of a judicial nominee since 2005 on Thursday, dealing a blow to the Obama administration on the long-stalled nomination of Goodwin Liu to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Why the Senate should reject Goodwin Liu — Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor Thursday regarding the nomination of Goodwin Liu to the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals: — Over the past two years, our nation has been engaged …

A Favorite Emerges for Helm of I.M.F. — PARIS — The French finance minister, Christine Lagarde, was on a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos this January when her usual smile turned into a frown. Next to her, Robert E. Diamond Jr., chief executive of Barclays and one of the most powerful bankers …

Nancy Pelosi: 'We have a plan. It's called Medicare.' — “It is a flag we've planted that we will protect and defend. We have a plan. It's called Medicare.” — That's from Nancy Pelosi, who called me from Wisconsin, where she's holding events today defending Medicare in Paul Ryan's back yard.

Stephen Colbert's Free Speech Problem — The comedian runs up against campaign-finance law in an attempt to lampoon the Supreme Court. — Comedy Central funnyman Stephen Colbert, like most of his friends and allies on the left, thinks that last year's Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. FEC is, literally, ridiculous.

Willie Nelson Changes His Tune — The Teapot Party began two days after Willie Nelson was arrested for marijuana possession in Texas on Nov. 28. He sent me an email suggesting the need for an alternative to the Tea Party - the “Teapot” Party. I started the Facebook page and and within 48 hours …

The Debt Ceiling Fiasco — Fights over the budget are normal and proper in a democracy. But threatening to default could have dire consequences for the dollar, interest rates and the economy. — The debt ceiling “crisis” started on Monday when the U.S. government reached the legal limit …

Trump's For-Profit School Said to Be Under Investigation — The New York attorney general's office is investigating whether a for-profit school founded by Donald J. Trump, which charges students up to $35,000 a course, has engaged in illegal business practices, according to people briefed on the inquiry.

Botox Mom: I MADE IT ALL UP FOR MONEY! — The woman who went on “Good Morning America,” claiming she injected her 8-year-old daughter with Botox, now swears under oath ... she made the entire story up for a few hundred bucks. — TMZ has obtained a sworn declaration written by Sheena Upton …